(BLOOMFIELD) - Sixteen students and the bus driver escaped serious harm when a car rear-ended the transport Monday afternoon.

According to a press release from Bloomfield School District Superintendent Dan Sichting, at approximately 3:30 p.m. Jonas Johnson was pulling away from dropping off a student on State Road 157 when the bus was struck in the rear by a car driven by 30-year-old Steven Howell Jr., of Worthington.

Greene County Sheriff's Deputy Brad Deckard said Howell and 29-year-old Natasha Tresner, of Bloomfield, who was a front seat passenger were airlifted by Air Evac medical helicopter from the scene.

Deckard said Howell suffered cuts and scrapes to his face and upper chest and complained of wrist pain. Tresner also suffered cuts and scrapes on her lower body, face and arms. Deckard said both were conscious, alert and answering questions.

Deckard says according to evidence at the scene and witness statements, the bus was traveling southeast on State Road 157 and had stopped to drop off a child in the 5300 block and was pulling away when the bus was rear-ended by the car. The student who was dropped off was not near the bus when the collision happened.

The engine and driver's compartment were under the rear of the bus before it came to a stop, Sichting added.

Sichting said parents were notified about the accident with the school's SchoolReach Instant Parent Alert and then he went to the accident scene.

Sichting says seven students had headaches or were complaining of body pain. They were released to their parents to seek medical treatment. The nine other students on the bus and the bus driver were not injured. Those students were also released to their parents.

Sichting added the school will follow up with parents to make sure students are doing well and if any of the injuries required overnight hospitalization.

Sichting said the bus will be inspected and repaired before being put back into service.
Police said the accident is still under investigation.